1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to devices for supporting and displaying funnels. More particularly, the present invention concerns a wire rack device for supporting and displaying a plurality of stacked funnels in a manner and an orientation which facilitates easier and more convenient consideration, removal, and replacement of one or more of the funnels by customers while shopping and by employees while stocking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to display or otherwise provide a plurality of stacked funnels for easy and convenient consideration, removal, and replacement of one or more of the funnels while maintaining a professional, clean, and otherwise properly appearing display. This is particularly true in retail store settings, for example, where the displayed funnels may be repeatedly handled by customers who remove and replace the funnels and by employees who stock and restock more funnels.
It is well-known in the prior art to display funnels in their original packaging, typically a paperboard box, by simply opening and placing the packaging on a shelf or designated floor space. Unfortunately, the original packaging seldom presents a professional or otherwise desirable appearance or an appearance conducive to generating customers"" interest or allowing them to easily view the funnels, thereby substantially decreasing the funnels"" xe2x80x9cshop-abilityxe2x80x9d. Furthermore, while the funnels may be initially provided in the packaging in a neat, stacked manner, the packaging includes no features for maintaining the funnels in this manner, such that repeated removal and replacement of the funnels will likely result in an unsightly jumble which requires tedious straightening and restacking. Additionally, the original packaging typically does not allow for maximizing or otherwise optimizing use of shelf space, thereby wasting display space which could otherwise hold more funnels or other goods.
It is similarly well-known to remove the funnels from their original packaging and simply stack them freely on a shelf for display. This display method, however, suffers from many of the aforementioned disadvantages and further fails to provide any substantial containment of improperly replaced funnels, such that they may eventually become strewn about and possibly even fall off the shelf.
A variety of other methods and mechanisms for displaying and supporting funnels exist in the prior art, but all typically suffer from these other disadvantages which result eventually in an unkempt and unprofessional-appearing display or which require substantial effort or labor to maintain.
Due to these and other problems and disadvantages in the prior art, a need exists for an improved device for supporting and displaying funnels.
The present invention overcomes the above-identified and other disadvantages in the prior to provide a distinct advance in the art of devices for supporting and displaying funnels. More particularly, the present invention provides a wire rack device for supporting and displaying a plurality of stacked funnels in a manner and an orientation which facilitates easier and more convenient consideration, removal, and replacement of one or more of the funnels by customers while shopping and by employees while stocking. Furthermore, the device is operable to facilitate maintaining a professional and clean display without requiring additional undue labor.
In a preferred embodiment, the device broadly comprises two sidepieces; a forward crosspiece; a faceplate; two legs; and a centerpiece. The two sidepieces provide horizontal support for displaying and maintaining the funnels in the aforementioned proper display orientation. The sidepieces are oriented parallel to and spaced apart from one another. The crosspiece extends between and couples the two sidepieces, thereby enhancing the stability of the device and ensuring proper spacing between the sidepieces. The faceplate is secured to the crosspiece and provides a surface onto which a price or other label may be affixed for communicating a unit price, bar code, or other information related to the funnels.
The two legs provide a mechanism by which the device may be secured to a pegboard or similar material presenting at least two spaced-apart holes through which the legs may be inserted. The legs are oriented parallel to and spaced apart from one another, and each presents a lower end and an upper end. At its lower end, each leg is coupled with a different one of the sidepieces at an angle of approximately 85xc2x0 or, as desired, at any other suitable angle between approximately 45xc2x0 and 120xc2x0. At its upper end, each leg is adapted for engaging one of the holes of the pegboard. As illustrated, each upper end presents a substantially S-shaped jog or offset portion allowing it to be inserted into one of the holes in the pegboard and to rest against a rear surface of the pegboard. The remainder of each leg, particularly each lower end, then rests against a front surface of the pegboard. In this manner, the legs both support the device from and couple it with the pegboard, thereby preventing the device from falling or being inadvertently pulled therefrom.
The centerpiece provides a mechanism for engaging the stacked funnels so as to maintain them in the proper orientation relative to the remainder of the device. The centerpiece is substantially T-shaped, having a rear bar and a center projection. The rear bar extends between and couples the two legs. The center projection is coupled with an approximate center of the rear bar to project forwardly therefrom substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each of the sidepieces. The center projection is sized and positioned to pass through at least one or more of the funnels. Thus, the centerpiece and sidepieces cooperate to support the stacked funnels in the proper display orientation.
As desired, the sidepieces, crosspiece, and legs may be constructed of a single length of steel wire appropriately bent. Similarly, the centerpiece may also be constructed of a single length of steel wire appropriately bent to form the rear bar and center projection.
Thus, it will be appreciated that the device provides a number of significant advantages over the prior art, including, for example, supporting and displaying the funnels in a manner and an orientation which enhances shop-ability by facilitating easier and more convenient consideration, removal, and replacement of one or more of the funnels. Furthermore, a funnel, once removed, can be easily returned to the stack without disturbing other funnels, thereby facilitating maintaining a professional-appearing, properly stacked, and otherwise clean display. Additionally, the device substantially increases optimization of retail shelf space by allowing for the display of a maximum number of funnels in the smallest space possible.
These and other important aspects of the present invention are more fully described in the section entitled DETAILED DESCRIPTION, below.